Message from the President
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Dear Friends,
In these unprecedented times, we hope that you, your families, and your communities are prioritizing and safeguarding health and well-being. To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we have temporarily closed our office in Oakland, California, but we are committed to continuing our work toward water sustainability. In fact, we believe our
mission
is more vital now than ever: the COVID-19 pandemic is shining a spotlight on the weaknesses of social, economic, and health safety nets we’ve long taken for granted, including our water system. In the coming weeks and months, our researchers will be diving deeper into the interconnections between COVID-19 and water access, sanitation, and hygiene. Stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, stay safe, stay informed, and stay connected as best you can.
Sincerely,
Jason Morrison
President
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Shining a Spotlight on Water and Sanitation Access on World Water Day
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Today is World Water Day, a day to celebrate the importance of water to people and the planet. As people around the globe struggle to cope with COVID-19, this year's World Water Day theme has been expanded to include handwashing. Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene is a fundamental right outlined in
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6
. Yet 40% of the global population – three billion people – live without basic handwashing facilities, without soap and water available at home. In the face of COVID-19, they are among the most vulnerable and most at risk of being left behind.
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More Than 200,000 Californians Lack Plumbing for Hot and Cold Running Water
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Experts are clear: handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent infectious disease. In the United States, nearly everyone has safe and affordable water – but not all. In California, there are more than 200,000 people who lack plumbing for hot and cold running water, and many thousands more have their water shut off because they (or a landlord) failed to pay the bill. For our communities to be healthy, everyone needs safe, affordable water.
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Explore Our Recent Work on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Access
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The topic of water, sanitation, and hygiene has been a focus of the Pacific Institute for decades. Here is a snapshot of some of that work that is especially relevant in these times:
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World Water Day 2020: Water and Climate Change
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World Water Day this year highlights how water and
climate change are inextricably linked, bringing much-needed attention to the growing risk climate change poses for water around the globe. As climate change accelerates the degradation of water resources and creates new challenges for all aspects of freshwater management, we are scaling our reach and impact. We recently adopted a new 2030 organizational goal to catalyze the transformation to water resilience in the face of climate change.
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New Release:
Corporate Water Resilience in an Uncertain Future
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A
paper
released this week by the Pacific Institute and partners presents the case for more urgent action from the business community to mitigate and manage the water-related risks of climate change, including precipitation shifts and extreme drought. Analyzing common barriers and providing actionable examples,
Corporate Water Resilience in an Uncertain Future
is an important resource for businesses looking to accelerate action on climate resilience.
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Update from the CEO Water Mandate:
Launch of the Water Resilience Coalition
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As Co-Secretariat of the
UN Global Compact's
CEO Water Mandate
, the Pacific Institute mobilizes the business community to advance water sustainability around the world.
This World Water Day, we are proud to announce the launch of the
Water Resilience Coalition
— an industry-driven, CEO-led initiative elevating global water stress to the top of the corporate agenda. By preserving the world’s freshwater resources through collective action in water-stressed basins and ambitious, quantifiable commitments, we hope to lead the way towards a more water-resilient future.
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John P. Thacher Joins the Pacific Institute Board of Directors
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The Pacific Institute is pleased to announce the addition of a new member to its
board
, John P. Thacher. John is the executive chairman of the board at Wilbur-Ellis. He also serves on the boards of Cuvaison Winery and the Argentina-based winery Finca Decero. Previously, he served on the boards of Rabobank North America, Napa Valley Vintners, Hintzsche Company, and the Di Rosa Foundation.
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The Pacific Institu
te is Hirin
g!
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At the Pacific Institute, we recognize that effective solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research, so we integrate knowledge and approaches from many disciplines, identifying real-world solutions that work. But developing recommendations for sensible water policies isn’t enough — we must also persuade decision makers to adopt these solutions. At every level, from the halls of Congress to international negotiating tables, we promote effective policy solutions based on our research and analysis.
Join our team
today!
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Upcoming Events:
March 2020
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March 24
: Research Associate Giuliana Chaves Moreira and Water Resilience Coalition Coordinator André Villaça Ramalho will participate in a webinar on the
Water Resilience Coalition
. The webinar will be presented in Portuguese.
March 27
: At a webinar on fashion and the environment, Ms. Moreira will speak on a panel titled "Fashion and Its Alternatives to Microplastics." This webinar will also be presented in Portuguese.
Keep an eye out for more upcoming staff events on our
announcements page
. Read the list of Pacific Institute experts’ past outreach
here
.
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Pacific Institute in the News
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EcoWatch
:
Water Conflicts Will Intensify. Can We Predict the Worst Problems Before Conditions Boil Over?
CBS News
: Warmest Winter on Record Gives Way to Extra-Early Signs of Spring
Read more news featuring Pacific Institute research and experts
here
.
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Help create and advance solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges.
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